My name is R and I was admitted to your unit having had an MI. I had a DNR in place when I was admitted as I have been living with a great deal of pain for many years from several sources and did not want to be jolted back into this painful body if my heart should stop. Well, that first weekend a young, recently graduated nurse named Cassie spent some precious time talking with me-actually doing more listening than talking-and it made an enormous difference in my life. She wasn’t trying to talk me into anything or out of anything. She was just there, caring, being peaceful and gentle.

At what would have been the end of our conversation I told her that our talk had felt like a religious experience to me. Then I asked her to rip up my DNR, which she did. A couple of nights later I experienced a cardiac arrest. It was told to me that by the time the staff became aware that I was in distress and made it across the hall, I was unresponsive. They apparently had to do both cardiac compressions and then shock me. But they brought me back. I am endlessly grateful that they did. I had a DNR in place for several years and had come to terms with it. And though I have no fear of dying, I have more to do and I just wanted you to know the quality of your staff and that I am grateful to them all for their wonderful care. They did save my life after all.

I was sent down to Maine Med where they implanted a pacemaker and a defibrillator and am home now and doing well. I just had to thank you all for giving me such good care while I was an RN in Massachusetts where I grew up I am proud and happy to say I am from Maine and that MaineGeneral is my hospital. Thanks again.